The Fool Strikes Again: Cornel West Calls President Obama a War Criminal

Once again Dr. Cornel West has gone out of his way to inflame headlines and relegate a complex issue to the waste bin of simplistic zealotry by calling President Obama a war criminal.
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In his typical pseudo intellectual fashion, West continues to shout the obvious - that innocent people are being killed in war - in the most inflammatory tones as though he's relating something new.
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While most Americans are against the killing of innocent noncombatants, we also recognize that it invariably happens in every war. That’s one of many things that makes engaging in war such a horrible thing. But Cornel West is shouting from the rafters and going into public convulsions as though the first time it's ever happened is under Barack Obama. Thus, I'd like to challenge Dr. West to name one war in the history of mankind where innocent noncombatants weren't killed.
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The problem with people like Tavis and West is they invariably shoot from the hip with inflammatory comments, and disseminate disinformation in order to garner headlines to promote their own selfish agendas. As a result, instead of enhancing public education and engagement, they distract from any serious discussion of the issues.

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West is not privy to even one sentence of the intelligence that President Obama has at his disposal. Yet, he’s shooting off his mouth as though the CIA is putting a condition report on his desk every morning for his review. We must never forget that Pakistan, right next door to Afghanistan - and where Osama Bin Laden was found and killed - is armed with nuclear weapons, and the president has a responsibility to see to it that those weapons never fall into the hands of Al Qaeda. If they do, America, and YOUR family, will fall under the dire threat of nuclear annihilation.
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So while people like Tavis Smiley and Cornel West are jumping up and down in ignorance, and engaging in a recklessly selfish attempt to gain headlines and get the president's acknowledgement, the President is engaged in serious business - America’s business. So they have to understand, just like irate children seeking attention, that the president doesn't have time to come out and play, and regardless to how many tantrums they engage in, or how inflammatory they become, the president simply doesn't have time to come sit in the sandbox with them.
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Thus, adults understand that the issues aren’t as cut-n-dried as people like Tavis and West would have us believe. Yes, on the surface it seems like simple common sense that it’s wrong to kill an American citizen without due process - even if that citizen is collaborating with the enemy. But place yourself in the position of the president for a moment. Let’s say you have credible information that Al Qaeda is going to launch an attack on an American position on Tuesday morning, but you can prevent the attack by launching a preemptive drone attack on Al Qaeda's position on Monday night. You have one problem, however. You also have intelligence that indicates there’s a collaborator on the enemy site who is an American citizen. Are you going to hold off your preemptive attack because the collaborator hasn’t been afforded due process? I don't think so, any more than a police officer is going to wait on a court order to defend himself on the street.
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And let us not forget that once a precedent has been set of holding off attacks in order to protect the lives of American collaborators, from that point on Al Qaeda can use that against us. All they have to do is surround themselves with American sympathizers as human shields to insure themselves against attack. So these issues aren’t as simple as they might seem at first blush. While, of course, we must be careful to protect the rights and security of innocent American citizens, jumping up and down screaming and pointing fingers is not the kind of approach that is appropriate for considering such weighty concerns.
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But a Cornel West supporter recently called me to task for constantly challenging Dr. West’s intelligence. He asked, "Eric, who made you judge and jury to attribute intelligence or lack thereof, to any individual?"
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That's a reasonable question, so I'll try to give a reasonable response. My assessment of a person's intelligence is not based on their credentials, but on their behavior. And who am I to make such a judgment? I'm human, and human beings are called upon to make such judgments hundreds of times a day just to survive. It's called assessing your environment. In this case, it's extremely important for the Black community to assess West's competence, because, considering his flagging, but still substantial influence, failing to understand his character, motivations, and shortcomings could have a devastating impact on our community.
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The results of the 2000 election stands as a perfect example of my contention. George W. Bush won the 2000 election by winning Florida by 537 votes. In that same state, the Nader/West coalition peeled away 97,488 votes. So one could argue that West is more than a little responsible for the suffering that's currently going on among Black people today. And you know what? West didn't learn a thing. He tried to team up with Nader again in the last election. So either he lacks intelligence, or he's engaged in collusion with the Republican Party. It's very important, therefore, that the Black community make a valid assessment of who this man is.
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As Min. Louis Farrakhan so adroitly pointed out to Tavis Smiley, President Obama is not turning grey-headed for nothing. He’s dealing with serious issues, and he’s privy to information in which we can only speculate. So it’s one thing to question policy, but when Cornel West goes around making incendiary comments, and calling the President of the United States a war criminal, it's not only childish, irresponsible, unprofessional, and ignorant, but it lends support to the enemies of both the Black community, and the American people as a whole.

Comments

You are smooth obsessed with our dear brother Cornel.

You even invoke the ticking bomb straw man in the targeted killing context, so as to misframe the actual issue which is addressed by the "war criminal" sobriquet. In actual fact, West gives Obama half-a-pass. He is a simple murderer, not a war criminal. We are not at war.

(BTW, you are an arrant fool if you can't discern, even from a distance, that West is so smart people pick up 20 IQ points just being in the same room as he.)

Jollyroger, considering Cornel West's behavior over the past five years, anyone who is still under the impression that his IQ exceeds twice his belt size serves as an indictment against their own intellect. While you may be highly impressed by Cornel, I'm a brother who came up in the hood during the sixties, a time from which Cornel stole his style, so it's readily apparent to me that he's a charter member of the Dime-a-Dozen club. So it sounds to me like you've been bamboozled by intellectual rice cake. But there's a very easy way to test our respective perceptions of the brother. Please tell me one thing that Cornel West has ever said in his 35 years in the public eye that is publicly recognized as being either memorable, or the least bit profound. Take your time. Like I said, I've been around a while, so I'm patient.

Bearing in mind that I am a member of the public, I bridle at the implication that I must, for forensic purposes, enlist some third party as authority, but, soit. I shall repair to the Google, the Youtube, and the associated fora.

For the record, I am a brother who came up in Bed Stuy in the 50s-does that give me seniority?

Jollyroger, Yes it does, brother. Please forgive my "youthful" arrogance, and thank you for helping to lay the foundation upon which I stand. But that said, please draw on the wisdom of the adversity that you've undoubtedly endured to help you to understand the rationale, and our common experience, that underpins my position. After all, having come up a generation behind you, I was raised to not only stand firm to protect my position and that of my children, and now, grandchildren, but to draw passion and wisdom from the adversity that YOU suffered. In addition, let us not forget that I was educated by YOUR comtemporaries, and I'm confident that they felt they had good reason for shaping my thinking the way they did. Thus, for that reason, along with the knowledge that I've gained due to my independent intellectual development, I stand firm in my position.

Louis Farrakhan's view of Obama is interesting. In 2011, Minister Farrakhan had labeled Obama an assassin and murderer for US involvement in the Middle East. In February 2012, Farrakhan warned Obama about being influenced by Satan because of the US aggression in the Middle East. Farrakhan mentioned the loss of his good friend, Moammar Gadhafi during the "Arab Spring" the Minister believes the "Arab Spring"is a US plot to take over the Middle East. Later in the February 2012 Nation of Islam "Savior's Day" speech, Farrakhan warned the the constant Republican racist rhetoric could lead to an assassination attempt by a duped Muslim. Farrakhan criticized criticized Obama for not coming to Chicago for the funeral of Hadiya Pendleton. Farrakhan lives in the same neighborhood as Obama, one mile away from the site of the teenager's murder.

Both Farrakhan and West love hearing their own voices. When Farrakhan has a moment of lucidity regarding Obama, we should acknowledge the occasion. When Cornel West makes a lucid statement regarding Obama, we will acknowledge that as well.

Troops are being pulled out. Drones will not go go away. the most rational thing to do now is to move the control of the drones from the CIA to the Department of Defense where there is more oversight. The biggest step in preventing the death of innocents is not to become involved in nonsensical battles in the first place.

I agree, Rm. But with regard to Farrakhan, and I disagree with him on a number of issues, I think he has the wisdom to understand that he can disagree with Obama's policies without becoming so radical in his opposition that he undermines the interest of the Black community, and America, as a whole. But Tavis and West are so entrenched in their own self-service that rational thought has become counterproductive to their interests. That's what makes them so dangerous.

Another problem is that someone outside of the CIA and the White House needs to know what sort of intelligence is being used to select people for termination. The President can't have carte blanche to kill anyone anywhere without even a nod from Congress.

Drones are just the latest shiny object of war. Airplanes were used to destroy the black section of Tulsa, Oklahoma known as "Black wall Street" as a white mob killed black men, women and children in 1921. During the urban rebellion of the 1960s, US troops brought rifles and bayonets to confront US citizens. Governors and legislators are actively working to suppress votes. If you focus only on drones, you miss the big picture. If drones are used to kill citizens on US soil, you still need a nineteen year old with a gun keeping the targeting population in a controlled area.

The Supreme Court will hear a case seeking to strike down an important section of the Voting Rights Act next week. The destruction of voting protection will be totally legal. Drones will not be necessary.

You are asking what is next. The point I make is what is happening now? I will boldly state that drones are a side issue.

A Republican Governor in Michigan has declared himself dictator. He has taken over financially strapped cities, installed masters to the slaves (citizens) who in tyrannical fashion replaces the mayor and city council. In Benton Harbor, Michigan, property that was city owned was sold to Whirlpool Corp for pennies on the dollar. The land was used for a private golf course. That is happening now. No drones were required

Republicans have allowed the credit rating to go in the crapper, because they didn't get what they want. They are now ready to crash the government on March first. They want to put us in a European style depression by forcing austerity. When is the government going to terrorize the public They are doing it now!

Now let me switch from the above secular argument to a more scripture based argument. Sodom faced judgment because the leaders were arrogant, overfed and treated the poor in a horrible fashion. That is is current stance of the GOP. They plan to cut the crumbs given to the poor to benefit the wealthy. They hate the Mexican workers invited to come to the US to work for slave wages. It is immoral.

The Supreme Court has said that corporations are people too and these corporations can spend massively to elect more tyrants. They will hear the Voting Rights Act case next week and in a 5-4 vote in several months will rule that tyrants are free to do whatever they need to do to suppress minority votes.

My focus is on battling the GOP.at all levels of government. They have their hands around my throat now. They are not using drones to do it. They don't need guns either.

Why would I trust some random armed folks more than I trust the government? IF McConnell got replaced by Ashley Judd, for example, I might see a difference. IF Jennifer Granholm were Michigan Governor instead of the dictator, I might see a difference. Some random armed folks as my savior? Please.

You may feel justified in your reasons for revolving and I may feel justified in mine. That does not mean that we agree on the important issues and solutions. Just following someone who is upset at government doesn't cut it.That is one of the points of Wattree's post. Cornel West's tactics are counterproductive and only serve his ego. I wouldn't follow West or Smiley to a free movie.

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